Multiple-pyrene residues arrayed along DNA backbone exhibit significant excimer fluorescence

Oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs) carrying multi-pyrene clusters were chemically prepared by introducing a novel nucleoside–pyrene conjugate into ODNs. The multi-pyrene residues arrayed on DNA strands induced significant excimer fluorescence and the intensity was exponentially increased as the number of pyrene residues in clusters increased. The excimer fluorescence of the arrays was stable and was not quenched by duplex formation.